Soft market test for Isles of Scilly sea links project

THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION.

This is a soft market test seeking the market views regarding the future Isles of Scilly lifeline sea link services. The document is managed through the Council's e-Tender platform and published under the main CPV code: 98360000 - Marine Services under the principles of the Public Contract Regulations 2015.

The Isles of Scilly Sea Links project is a once-in-a-generation programme to deliver lifeline sea link service through Government-backed Levelling Up funding. The programme is entering a key phase to obtain market information before a full public sector procurement.

A mechanism has been agreed by which the Government can release the £48.4m of funds to the Council of Isles of Scilly to deliver new vessels and operate the sea link services. The project must identify a new operator and vessels through a public sector-compliant procurement strategy. The Council for the Isles of Scilly (CIoS) is required to complete a full outline business case to secure the funding.

To inform this business case fully, CIoS is conducting a soft market assessment to gain an understanding of the potential level of interest across the private sector. This SMT sets out a series of information requirements/requests from interested suppliers that will be used to identify risks at the earliest opportunity, promote innovation, encourage a positive relationship with suppliers, gather informed market intelligence and determine the potential level of competition, allowing better resource planning.

Scope of the SMT:

• a)Provides participants with sufficient information to inform the client on market intelligence.
• b)The Sea Links SMT is set out as follows:

The responses supplied are intended to enable the Council to develop a business proposal. Any future proposal development would be subject to the outcome and approval of the Department for Transport business case, and, as such, this exercise implies no commercial commitment. This is not a formal tender document.

Participation in this soft market assessment will not prejudice suppliers participating in any future procurement.

If you are interested in this area of asset supply and service provision and also helping with our assessment of the market, please complete section 5, "Information Required & Requested" section at the end of this notice along with any additional information you consider to be relevant and return this via the email no later than Tuesday 31 October 2023 at 17:00 hours.

Following the assessment of the returned market intelligence from participants, a report will be taken to the Council for the Isles of Scilly on 16 November 2023.

All correspondence and enquiries should be directed to:

Name: Mr Keith Grossett

email: procurement@scilly.gov.uk